The sheer number of articles written about how to be a blogger proves at least two points:

That it is not as simple as taking a pretty picture and;
That there are a lot of people trying to be bloggers

We all know by now that it's not an easy job. So we’ve rounded up some of our favorite tips and tricks from past C&C speakers and bloggers we love.

1. Courtney Kerr says to keep it personal. Do you need to build your own app? Maybe not.

“I am a human and I’m not an app. If I want a nail apt I don’t mind downloading an app. If I want a car to come pick me up, that’s an app thing. I think an app takes away the personal encounter I have with my readers and almost seem like I'm saying, 'Well you’re not good enough to interact with me on Kerrently.com'— it takes all the personal out of it.”

The blogger and influencer says a large part of your success happens in that personal space. Don’t overlook that.

2. Caroline Harper Knapp of House of Harper says that to work your analytics you have to pay attention to where people are spending time.

What does that mean? In this multi-screen economy, really figure out where people are spending chunks of time digesting your content. The blogger says: “Your Google analytics can tell you where readers are looking at your content— mobile or desktop. Make sure that everything is just as user-friendly on a smartphone as it is your site." She also notes that" People really want to consume content via video."

The mom and influencer echoes what Kerr has to say about apps and personalization. “People want to see you and hear your voice. They want to know you. That’s a focus for us right now. Asking my audience to download something feels like too many steps."

3. Olivia Watson of Livvyland says to really focus on mobile experience.

Mobile is the gateway to your blog. If people are having an enjoyable experience with your content on their phone, they are more likely to convert to online (computer) readers.

“I would focus on having a really great mobile experience. And then call it a day. If your site is built the right way it will update across all of your platforms,” Watson shares.

4. Build your email list from the start.

Everyone is very (verrrry) focused on growing their follower count, but zeroing in on that number isn’t the only thing you should train your sights on.

Your email list should be your day 1. You need to get into inboxes. Social platforms are awesome, but as an influencer or blogger you are beholden to that platform. Building your own email list is the way to connect with your followers directly in the exact way you want to do it.

Plus, if you ever want to write a book? Guess what? A publisher will ask you have many email subscribers you have. It matters.

5. Scratch your own itch

This is the new twist on being authentic. You need to create content that your readers love, but you also need to create content that is real to you.

Don’t look to the left or right of you when it comes to creating content. Hone in on what you’re good at and build a base from there. Austin-based blogger Camille Styles is great at this. She shares, "We want to empower women and show our readers how to be the healthiest happiest they can be. Topics around wellness and mental health are really important to us. Those have been some of the topics that perform the best.”

Arianna Schioldager is Editor-in-Chief at Create & Cultivate. You can follow her @ariannawrotethis.

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